Damned if you do, damned if you don't
by Nauki Yasha
Summary: Inu-Yasha is Wounded, the twins are being trouble Who is going to help poor Kagome handle it all?


Nauki moved to and fro as she cleaned up the mess she had made all over the floor. Rushing, she clinked bowls on top of each other then started to wipe the floor with linens her mother kept in a pot. Breathing hard, she noticed spots on the floor. Nauki got on her knees, then wiped the area clean with the sleeves of her kimono. She stood up one more time to look over the area. "All done."  
Nauki walked over to the food she had prepared in a bowl. She bent over it, picking it up. *This will make Papa feel better.* Carefully, she carried the food to her parent's room.  
"Oda, listen to Mommy," Kagome said. She places him away from Aya. "It's not nice to hit your sister."  
"But she won't gimmie it," the three-year-old with raven colored hair and golden slit eyes said.  
Kagome sighed. *Same old thing.* She looked back at her son. His hair was growing fast. It was the demon in him. "If Aya is playing, ask her for the toy. If she won't give it to you, find something else to play with."  
"But I want THAT one," Oda griped.  
"Oda, listen AGAIN," Kagome said holding her finger up.  
Nauki tip-toed past the room. If Kagome caught her, she'd be in trouble. I want everyone to let him rest. No one is allowed to bother Inu- Yasha. Him and Uncle Miroku helped get rid of bandits that had taken refuge in a village. Papa's been hurt, so to make him heal, we have to let him sleep.  
Nauki sighed as she stood out of the room. Softly, she walked in. She lowered the bowl a few feet from her father than sat down. Inu-Yasha was sleeping soundly on his back. His arms were wrapped in bandages and there was a large bruise on his abdomen. He woke up a few times during the day when Kagome nursed him, or fed him. Nauki crawled over to him slowly.  
Inu-Yasha sensed her immediatly. He opened his eyes weakily. He grunted as he moved his head to look at her.  
"I brought you some food, Papa," Nauki said softly. "Mama doesn't know I snuck in. Please don't tell on me."  
Inu-Yasha tried to lift his claw to touch her face. He couldn't. Nauki was so cute; even when she broke the rules. He noticed the food she had brought. "Wh...Wh...What's that...?"  
Nauki brought the bowl closer. "I'm not good at cooking yet." She lowered her head.  
"It's...o.k...Little," Inu-Yasha said weakily.  
She looked up at him then nodded smiling. "You want to twy it, Papa?"  
"Tr....Try," he corrected her.  
"Tw...Tr...Try," Nauki repeated. Her vocabulary was slowly improving. At first when he had found her, Nauki had only spoken a few words. Now she was six-years-old.  
Inu-Yasha tried again to lift his arm towards her. He managed to raise it an inch. He hated being bruised after a fight. As he closed his eyes, Inu-Yasha griped.  
Nauki noticed he was trying to move. She came even closer. Reaching down, she pinched the top of his claw. Just as suspected, he tried to move again, in order, to grab her wrist. "Betcha can't touch me," she taunted.  
Over and over again, Nauki kept pinching her father's claw. And just as suspected, Inu-Yasha's frustration grew; so did his determination.  
After several minutes of aggravating him, Nauki decided to pinch him harder. Inu-Yasha cursed. "You're such a faker," Nauki said, still taunting him.  
That was the last straw. Inu-Yasha had had enough. "Fa...Faker? I'll...show you a faker. I fight dem-ons...to keep you people safe...and you call me a faker?!" Inu-Yasha rose to an almost sitting position. He showed his fangs at the child, eyes narrowed.  
Nauki slowly smirked. "Told you, you were a faker." She crossed her arms just like he normally does, then scoffed.  
Kagome cleared her throat. "Nauki, you're not suppose to be in here!" She hurried to the girl, then grabbed her wrist. "Come on! Up! Out!"  
"Papa's all better," Oda said surprised. His playtime of harassing Aya and his mother had came abruptly to an end. "Awww...."  
Kagome froze. Her and Inu-Yasha's eyes grew wide as they noticed he was almost sitting up. Kagome let go of Nauki's wrist. She kneeled. "Are you better? This morning you could barely lift your head."  
Inu-Yasha smirked. He then realized what Nauki had been trying to do all along. *You little demon....* "Come here, Little," he said strictly.  
Nauki lowered her head. She moved as close to him as she could. Was he mad at her? "You said demons are stronger than humans so I thought that if you were hurt, than you should heal quicker than a human. That's why I pinched you; so you'd get up. If you really want to do something, you can. That's what Mama always says. If that's not true, then Mama's wrong and that wouldn't be right because Kaede said we're suppose to listen to you because you're older and wiser," Nauki rambled as she pleaded her defense.  
Inu-Yasha put a finger over her mouth to quiet her. "Mama's right. Kaede's right. It's wise to listen. You should have listened to Kagome." He took his claw away. "It's nice that you're trying to help, Nauki, but you never know how injured someone is. It's up to Kagome what kind of punishment you will recieve. I'm not going to punish you this time. Your heart was in the right place."  
"I think I've got the perfect lesson in mind," Kagome said matter-of- factly, never taking her eyes away from her. The girl swallowed. "Your job is going to be to keep Oda away from Aya while I tend to your father for the next few days."  
Nauki looked behind her at Oda. He grinned an evil smile. In return, the girl growled. Something she had picked up from Inu-Yasha. Oda took one step back then high tailed it. Nauki yelped as she ran after him. The little booger was already seeking out his fraternal twin.  
Within a few moments, the two parents heard Aya cry, Oda yell, and Nauki pounce on him. "I'm rubbing off on you too much," Inu-Yasha said as he looked at Kagome. He closed his eyes again as something hit the floor from another room.  
"It'll teach her to listen to me," Kagome said, her hands on her hips. She picked up the bowl Nauki had left. "What's this?"  
"Food Little had prepared for me," he said. He watched as Kagome sniffed it. She set it down. "Is it bad?"  
"She tried. Poor thing got the recipes mixed together. I'll have to throw it out," Kagome said disheartedily. "Can't blame her for trying though."  
"Mama, Nia's trying to kill Oda," Aya said from the doorway. She looked at them blank faced, her silver hair hanging over her shoulders. She blinked her soft pink eyes as Kagome got up annoyed.  
"Get off," Oda yelled throughout the hut.  
"Make me," Nauki yelled back in defiance.  
Aya walked gently to her father. "Papa?"  
He turned his head towards her. "Hey, Moonbeam." Inu-Yasha touched her face with his claw. "How's my good girl this afternoon?"  
"I wish they would stop fighting," Aya said almost inaudible. She sat down then laid her head on his chest. Inu-Yasha ran his claw through her hair. "They will one day," he assured her.  
Aya closed her eyes contently. As long as she was with Inu-Yasha, Oda wouldn't and couldn't bother her. She hated her brother's constant picking.  
When Kagome came back to retrieve Aya, after she had finally seperated Nauki and Oda, she found both Aya and Inu-Yasha asleep. Not wanting to distrub them, she tip-toed over and kissed both fo them on the forehead. She softly stroked Aya's hair then left. *My sweet little Angels.* Just as she thought that, she heard Nauki yell at Oda. *A mother's work...is never...done...* Kagome griped. 


End file.
